Layout device for machine tools



Aug. 18, 1953 K. L. BlCE 2,649,000

LAYOUT DEVICE FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Aug. 29, 1949 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

WTHLBRE WW Aug. 18, 1953 K. BICE 2,649,000

LAYOUT DEVICE FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Aug. 29, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

' KENIETH L. BlCE Aug. 18, 1953 K. L. BlCE 2,649,000

LAYOUT DEVICE FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Aug. 29, 1949 4 sneets-sneets Aug. 18, 1953 K. L. BlCE 2,649,000

" LAYOUT DEVICE FOR MACHINE TOOLS 7 Filed Aug. 29, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 as Fig.7 so

- 8 a 2 2' g g g 9- v g g g 8 INVENTOR. g g g gg lgnncmkBma 9 9 150 (72 C74 (76 L78 MW Patented Aug. 18, 1953 UNITED stares.

LAYOUT "DEVICE FOR MACHINE TOOLS:

Kenneth: L; Bicc, FraminghamaMassz Application August 29, 1949,"Serial-No. 112,962;

This invention" relates to layout i devices: for

machine tools particularly adapted to and therein illustrated Ias-incorporated "in a drilling machine, the principal object of the invention residing :1n

thesubstantially automatic positioning of the workpiece for the drilling of'holes therein" at exactly specified points bymeans which dependon accurate automatic'gauging means and not upon theskill of the-operator.

Inlaying out a piece of work to be drilled," theworkpiece is usually moved under control ofthe operator to locations where the drilling isto be-doneand this commonly involves manual positioning-of the work piece as, for instance, by 'means-ofa-table which may be universally moved in a horizontal plane by means of screws or-=rackslocated at right angles to each other and moving the table anywhere the operator desires it; so that a hole maybe made as accurately'as "may, be where it is desired in the work. piece; this operation being repeatedaccording to a blueprint:

This; of;course, requires a skilled machinist, goodxeyesighti etc, but byimeans of :the present invention; all manual. operations such. as here described are completely done. away with, the.

operator merely'pressingkeyboard buttons which i cally move exactly to thedesiredlocation within an accuracy of /i of an -inch..and-.whilethe drilling-is in progress .at this point, the device may bepreset on the keyboard: so that as soon as thrdl$l11 retracts,- all .theoperator has to do isto againclose theswitch or press the buttonwhich initiates'the moving ,of thework 'table to' the second preset location, etc;

Other objects and advantages of the-invention;

will. appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had. to the accompanying: drawingsin which Fig. 1 Le a-perspective View showing the-table assembly, as.-it appears in relation to the drill press or other-tool;

Fig. 2 is a-aperspective- View of the intermediate table;

zClaims; (01. 77-454) Fig. 3 -is' a -perspecti ve view of the lower table Fig." 4 isa perspeetive view of the underside of the-:toptablr Fig; 5' 'is -a'perspective View of the underside of Y the' intermediate table Figs G is-aneXploded *view of *a hydraulic cylinder and stop sleeves therefor;

Figs 7 is a circuit diagram of the "switchboard controls; and" Fig; 8*is-aview-sh'owinghow one of these" switchboard control panelsappears.

Fig." 9 is" *a' further detailed showing of the cumulativestop features of the device;

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a sta= tionary, fixed base "I 0' having ways I 2 thereomfor rectilinearlyguidihg a movableltable 1 4. Table [4 in turnis' provided withways l5 whichlare located at right anglesto' ways I2"-'and";support a work. table lsfiwhichis' universally movable in ahorizontal'pla ne as will be clear to those skilled in theart.

The base"!!! is located by.a.boss 20. with relationv to standard .22 of amachine tool having-acutter l 24 rotatably inountedl in. a head. 2 In. this. particularcase, the .cutter 24 is-a. drill. and the-.entir'e invention issshown. as. applied. to adrillLpress. but .itiisto he understood. that. this invention. could .be adaptedtoany other machine. tool. Table. i0. is.-itraveled-.alongl ways. [6 by meansloha hydrauliccylinder Edandtable id is traveled .alongavays 2 .by means. of a. hydraulic cylinder 3fl-under.. controlshto exactly position table fi-avhere desiredas iwillbe hereinafter more fully described.

Referringrnow "to-Fig. 2, the intermediate table i l-is shcwniindetaila Generally centrallythereof and arranged. to .slide parallel: to ways I 2 r there are .a plurality of gauge bloeks..-which are identified-aby-numeral 32. which is theeinchblock; 34,-: the .Linch .blcck; 36,-: the-.0 sinch 'block and 33 the llfilinch block These hlocksare arrangedetoslidemln. appropriate guideways as for instance-eat. Mlcby hydraulic-.cylinders Q2 "and eachvblo'okiis. separately powered: so that any arrangement. of. blocks isa possible according to" the: actuationxof- :stop :pins 2%.: In other words, aastopg. pin all;afor 'anyfiblcckrzmayrbe moved up-' wardlyout of-thebaseriitc lie inthe path of the respective blocks. Sig-=34; 36, a and thenthe appropriate cylinden 42 being. energized. such blo.cks -wil1-.-rmovcr forwardly and .138 stopped by the pins. 35 Where.- desired, according to. which pin M is raised. The blocks are stepped:.-as-. inches; tenths, hundredths and thousandths, block-13Beasaapraetical matter [being-tapered;

Blocks 32 and 34 slide in. ways 40 in a block 46 which is laterally movable against the action of springs 48, block 36 and 38 being slidable in ways 49 in block 50. A pressure pin 52 is arranged to contact blocks 34 and 36 and the purpose of this is that in order to attain the measurement of gauge blocks 32, 34, 3B and 38, it is necessary to bring them into additive engagement. Thus the plate 46 is movable laterally, once the correct location of the gauge blocks is determined, so as to add up the total measurement of all of the four parts.

Block 3'4 is carried toward pressure pin 52 by the lateral motion of block 45 on trunnions H6 against the pressure pin 52 by the lateral motion of block 51]. motion of the tapered block 38. Block 34 is actuated by the motion of table l8, see Fig. 1.

does not stop until block 34 has contacted pin 52 and further until pin 52 has contacted block 36. At this time, therefore, all blocks 32, 34, 3S and 38 have been brought into positive additive engagement. I

When blocks 34 and 35 are not in "additive engagement, as for example when these blocks are in transverse motion under action of cylinders 42, the blocks are held away from pin 52 by springs 48. Pin 52 is held in a neutral position by the action of compression spring H8 and pin I28.

The base it is provided with a similar mechanism but located at a right angle thereto and this mechanism will therefore not be fully described as it is a duplication of the parts controlling table l4 whereas the above described gauging mechanism on table It controls the position of table 18.

Referring now to Fig. 4, table H3 is provided with special mechanism on the hydraulic cylinder 28, said mechanism comprising three rotatable sleeves 54, 5E and 58 each of which is provided with a laterally extending stop block 58, each stop block having pivotally connected thereto a piston rod 52 operatively associated with a cylinder 54 pivoted on a hinge 55 to the underside of the table IS. The purpose of this construction is to selectively position any one of stops EU in a downwardmost operative position, where it may engage the gauge block 32 and move the same laterally as above described to add up the total gauge block device so as to act as a stop locating the position of table l8 longitudinally along ways !6; In other words, the four gauge blocks having been moved to the desired positions, the appropriate stop block 56 is moved down under influence of its cylinder to a position-where it will engage the gauge blocks and be stopped thereby. The stop block =60 in Fig. 4 to the left which is illustrated in the down or operative position is the first IO-inch stop block; the central stop block 88 which is in inoperative position is the 20-inch stop block, and the stop block 60 to the right which is also inoperative is the 30-inch stop block because obviously stop block 60 in operative position will strike the gauge block 32 very quickly after initial starting whereas the other two stop blocks 60 will engage gauge block 32 at later intervals which are preferably in the nature of steps of 10 inches each.

As shown in Fig. 5, table 14 is provided with the same arrangement as to its cylinder 30 for Block 50 is actuated by the 4 the same purpose, the three stops 6D in Fig. 5 being controlled by cylinders '64 as above described with relation to Fig. 4 to position table [4 at 10-inch intervals in addition to the gauging action of the gauge block.

It will be seen from the above that upon proper selection, of the cylinders E i and d2, the gauge blocks and tables may be preset to the desired positions anywhere on the table within range of the tool and then it is merely necessary to energize cylinders 28 and 30 to bring the table E8 to the desired location.

Any desired means may be used to operate the stop pins 44, and in the present case, this takes the form of solenoids, one for each of the stops 44, each solenoid being electrically energized from a keyboard such as is shown in Fig. 8. Hence, the operator merely has to press the right buttons in order to energize the appropriate solenoids to preset the exact work location, and since the buttons merely cause the pins 4 3 to rise, the entire setting may be done while the previous setting is utilized by being worked on by the tool. As soon as the tool retracts, the start button 16 is merely pushed to restart the table travel to a new location. The buttons may be arranged in four rows, as shown in Fig. 8, for inches, tenths, hundredths, and

' thousandths, as at 72, 14, "[5 and 18, there being a keyboard for each moving table. The three stops 59 are controlled by the three buttons 88.

Referring now to Fig. 7, buttons #2, l6, .15, etc., when pressed down, are held by spring catches 82 until other button in the same column is pressed down where connection B l releases the held button. When contact is made, the solenoid raises its pin 44 and a one shot solenoid 68 operates a reversible valve 953 to cause cylinders 42 to retract the blocks 32, 34,

3B. When the cylinders are fully retracted the valve 98 is mechanic-ally reversed as by a spring to cause the cylinders to advance until the blocks are stopped by the pins M. These circuits are the same for all forty push buttons. Valve 92 controls the direction of travel of the tables. If a table is farther forward on the last cycle than is desired for a subsequent cycle, switch 9-! closes. These switches are located on stops 6!! and will be closed due to interference between the stops and block 32, and this causes valve S2 to retract the table cylinder 28 or 39 as the case may be. course, break upon disengagement of block 32 and stops 6% and valve 522 mechanically reverses to reverse direction of travel of the respective table to cause the latter to move forward and engage the blocks. Cylinders '64 are controlled by the forward and reverse valve as which is similar to valves 92 and Eli, and 83 indicates collet chucks to clamp the tables to ways 82 and i6 upon appropriate operation of valve IE5. Elements E82 and 184 are pressure switches.

Assuming a table is locked by the collet chucks, and all blocks and stops in place, the starting button id operates valve 5% to release the pressure in the chucks 98. This pressure closes circuit Hi5 opening valve I83. The table moves to the next position with valve H33 open. Then when the table cylinder reaches the end of its stroke, pressure builds up and closes switch 564 operating valve 599 to lock the collet chucks. Pressure builds'up in the latter closing switch 132 operating valve IE8 to release pressure in the table cylinder, and this also trips solenoid HD to release button 86 held down by catch H2.

The circuit will, of

When this happens, circuit H4 is broken and cylinder 64 retracts its stop.

Solenoid l H! is a momentary or trip (one shot) action device when energized to hold keys 80 depressed. When pressure switch )2 is released and opens circuit I06, solenoid H0 is deenergized but does not affect latch H2 because of the one shot or trip mechanism. However, valve 698 is operated by the spring as the solenoid de-energized. 1

As the table cylinder 28 pressure builds up, pressure switch I04 contacts and reverses valve it which clamps the collets.

The pressure switch I02 should not contact until the collets are clamped therefore, the switch is connected to the clamping pressure line of the oollets 98. This will allow the table cylinders to start before the collets are completely unclamped.

When the pressure switch :02 closes it energizes the solenoid H0 which trips the key latch and then becomes inoperative due to momentary or one shot mechanism. At the same time, the valve E08 is reversed and cuts oil the table cylinder pressure.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. The combination of a machine tool with a base, ways thereon, a table on the ways, ways on the table, and a second table on the secondnamed ways, movable gauges on the first table to position the second table and movable gauges on the base to position the first table, means on each table to engage the respective gauges, clamping means for each table, power-operated means under control of an operator to position the gauges, a keyboard for each table, a switch on each keyboard for each step in each gauge, a stop for for each step of each gauge, and means to move the stops into and out of the paths of the gauges, said last-named means being controlled by the switches.

2. In a device of the class described, a base and a pair of superposed tables adapted to be traveled at angles to each other, means to travel the tables, a set of movable stepped gauges on the base and a set of movable stepped gauges 0n the lower table, said sets of gauges being movable transervsely of the direction of movement of the table just above the same, means to move each gauge individually, means to stop such movement of each gauge individually, depending retractible means on each table engaging the respective sets of gauges additively, means under control of the operator to actuate the stop means, and move the gauges and tables, the gauge stopping means comprising retractible elements selectively operated at the will of the operator to extend into or to be retracted from the paths of the individual gauges.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the depending retractible means for each table comprises a plurality of stops spaced along the respective tables in the direction of movement thereof, so that the table may move in increments in addition to the gauges, depending on which depending retractible stops is in operative nonretracted position.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the depending retractible means for each table comprises a plurality of stops spaced along the respective table in the direction of movement thereof, so that the table may move in increments in addition to the gauges, depending on which depending retractible stops is in operative nonretraoted position, power means to extend or retract each retractible stop and switch means to control said power means, there being a switch for each. such stop.

5. In a device of the class described, a base, ways thereon, a, lower table on the ways, ways on the lower table at angles to the first-named ways, an upper table on the lower table ways, a set of parallelly movable stepped gauge blocks on the base, means to move each block separately, a line of movable stops for each block to limit the travel thereof at predetermined locations, means to move each stop separately into or out of the paths of the blocks, a plurality of spaced retractible stop elements on the lower table, means to separately move the same into inter-engaging condition relative to the gauge blocks, the latter moving transversely to the table movement and the stop elements being located in line parallel to the table movement, means to locate the lower table in desired position relative to the lower table, a keyboard, switches thereon controlling the gauge block moving means, the gauge block stop moving means, and the advance and retraction of the retractible stop element.

KENNETH L. BICE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 613,073 Partington Oct. 25, 1898 1,028,660 Barber June 4, 1912 2,007,180 Doran et al. July 9, 1935 2,020,868 Barnes et a1 Nov. 12, 1935 2,114,284 Barnes et a1. Apr. 19, 1938 2,236,881 Rusnak Apr. 1, 1941 2,440,916 Rusnak May 4, 1948 2,473,506 Bullard I11 June 21, 1949 2,473,507 Bullard III June 21, 1949 

